Wales and the South Coast are the nation’s DIY property sale hotspots

The latest research by tradespeople comparison site, HaMuch.com, has looked at where is home to the highest level of tradesperson demand based on the number of existing properties being bought and sold and in need of further work.

*Existing property sales refers to properties that are not new build

Spring is fast approaching bringing a boost in the number of both residential and commercial property sales and while moving to new property presents its own substantial list of things to do, once the dust has settled the majority of home movers and business owners still have a whole host of DIY jobs that require professional help.

Across England and Wales, there were hundreds of thousands of property sales last year and the vast majority (89%) of these were existing properties, not newly built ones.

For the large part, those moving into a newly built premise will have little need for a professional trade person, however, for those acquiring an existing property there is often work to be done that goes above and beyond your light touch DIY jobs for the weekend.

On a monthly basis, the number of properties sold last year spiked in March and remained high right through until dropping again in November, so the nation’s professional tradespeople will currently be gearing up for the incoming rush of work.

But where is home to the largest number of potential jobs based on the biggest proportion of existing property sales?

Blaenau Gwent in Wales is the biggest trade job hotspot with existing properties accounting for 99.7% of all transactions and newly built properties accounting for just .3%.

Wales seems a safe bet for tradesperson demand with Merthyr Tydfil ranking second with 99.3% of all transactions coming within the existing property space.

Portsmouth ranks third (98.7%), followed by Ceredigion (98.6%), Brighton and Hove (98.2%), Rhondda Cynon Taff (97.7%), Bournemouth (97.7%), Powys (97.4%), Poole (97.2%) and Caerphilly (96.7%).

Founder and CEO of HaMuch.com, Tarquin Purdie, commented:

“Searching for a local tradesperson used to limit you to companies within the immediate area, but technology now allows us to receive instant quotes from much further afield, and with strong competition for work, many tradespeople will travel much longer distances and even work away during the week for a well-paid opportunity.

Whether this is at a commercial or residential property, the best paid opportunities with the more substantial workloads often come via those who have recently acquired a property and have a number of things to remedy before they can call the job done.

With peak season for property buying almost upon us, it would seem the best chance of maximising your workload if you do work in the trades is to up sticks and move to either Wales or the South coast of England, as these are the areas with by far the most existing property sales as a proportion of all transactions.”

Area
Existing properties sold as a % of all transactions (2019)
BLAENAU GWENT
99.7%
MERTHYR TYDFIL
99.3%
PORTSMOUTH
98.7%
CEREDIGION
98.6%
BRIGHTON AND HOVE
98.2%
RHONDDA CYNON TAFF
97.7%
BOURNEMOUTH
97.7%
POWYS
97.4%
POOLE
97.2%
CAERPHILLY
96.7%
SWANSEA
96.57%
NEATH PORT TALBOT
96.52%
DENBIGHSHIRE
96.50%
SOUTHEND-ON-SEA
96.38%
YORK
96.37%
PEMBROKESHIRE
95.89%
ISLE OF ANGLESEY
95.79%
SOUTHAMPTON
95.48%
LEICESTER
95.35%
NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE
95.27%

Properganda PR

National and local media coverage for property businesses. Journo quotes delivered in minutes.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Breaking Property News 20/10/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Rightmove’s £1.45bn forty minute lawsuit Thought leadership by Olivier Jauniaux Founder of NestLink ‘It takes about forty minutes to find a house on Rightmove according to the portal’s own disclosure. You set the filters, you scroll, you save three, you send one to your partner with the…
Read More →
Breaking News

The six shocking ways first-time buyers are being caught out

Unexpected costs hit 70% of first-time buyers, causing rising anxiety for almost a third of people Over 60% of buyers also face mortgage rejection when finding their dream home Solicitor delays and “waiting around” among the highest drivers of anxiety and stress The First Time Buyer Anxiety Index 2026 delves into the main pain points…
Read More →
Breaking News

FTBs reveal real cost of homeownership

Six in 10 first-time buyers say getting onto the property ladder came at the expense of their quality of life From holidays and hobbies to careers and starting a family, first-time buyers reveal the true cost of homeownership New research by Yopa has revealed that 61% of first-time buyers say saving for their first home had…
Read More →
Breaking News

Supply of family-suitable homes falls across the nation

England is facing a growing shortage of large family homes, according to new analysis from UK Property Development (UKPD), creating increasing challenges for buyers leaving London in search of more space, better quality of life, and access to one of the capital’s most desirable commuter regions. UKPD analysed live property listings data* and found that,…
Read More →
Breaking News

84% of agents fear Autumn Budget anti-climax

Agents welcome first-time buyer support but 84% fear Autumn Budget housing anti-climax The latest industry insight from GetAgent.co.uk has revealed that estate agents believe first-time buyers are most in need of government support and, while the recent announcement of a new first-time buyer scheme will likely be welcomed by the industry, 84% are sceptical as…
Read More →
how to present your property for sale
Estate Agent Talk

The Budget – Residential Property

Thoughts from Lisa Wilson, Partner at law firm Spencer West LLP: “Chancellor John Healey, as many Chancellors before him, has the unenviable task of achieving balance in UK taxation and spending. Whilst there have been a few property rumours in the press, they are notably quieter than in years gone by. Over the Summer months…
Read More →